The Undoing
Page 37
Ski blew out a breath. “Why do I do what I do again?” he asked Jace. “Could you remind me?”
“To save the world and dole out Tyr-style justice.”
“Right. You’re right.”
He started to open the screen door, but she caught his leather jacket, tugged. “And you love me?” At the moment, she needed to hear it again. Before she faced Nëna.
Ski smiled, pressed his forehead against hers. “And I love you.”
They stood like that for a long time until Jace heard Nëna bark, “Do you two mind not doing whatever disgusting thing you’re doing on my front porch so the neighbors don’t think I have some whores living here? Thank you!”
Jace growled, and Ski immediately held up the pastry box. “Baklava. We have baklava. Even she can’t resist that.”
“You seriously do not know my grandmother.”
Hel, comfortable once again in the new armor created by the dwarves of Asgard, opened the mystical doorway and reached in. She dug around until she felt Gullveig’s energy.
She grabbed the god’s hand and yanked her into Helheim.
And the snotty bitch was still screeching.
“Shut up!”
“Where the fuck have you been?”
Hel raised a finger. “We need to make something clear. I don’t work for you, heifer. I’m doing you a favor.”
“And why is that?”
“Before it was because I was bored. But now it’s because the Crows have pissed me off.”
“And for that you’ll bring Ragnarok down on humanity’s head?”
“You’re doing it because you’re pissed at your sister.”
“That’s different.”
“And what do I care?” Hel asked. “Ragnarok or not, there’ll always be a place for the dead and its queen. Now, are you in or out?”
“In.” Her hands curled into fists. “I want my necklace back!”
“You and that necklace . . .”
Gullveig started to walk away, but her legs gave out and she went down on her knees.
Hel snapped her fingers at one of the Carrion and motioned to Gullveig.
“Go, sister,” she soothed, patting her shoulder. “Get some rest. Get your strength back.”
The Carrion helped the god up, and she studied Hel. “And then what?”
“And then . . . I think it’s time for you to meet my father.”
“I did meet your father. He tried to kill me, too!”
Exasperated, Hel snapped, “Okay, dude, you really need to let that go already!”
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ISBN: 978-1-6177-3509-7
First Electronic Edition: April 2016
ISBN-13: 978-1-61773-510-3
ISBN-10: 1-61773-510-8